Why manual entry breaks expense tracking habits
The biggest reason people stop tracking expenses isn't willpower — it's friction. When logging a transaction means opening an app, finding the right cashbook, typing a merchant name, entering an amount, and picking a category, it's easier to skip it. By the end of the week, you've lost track of $200 in receipts.
Folko's receipt scanner removes that friction entirely. You scan while you're still at the register. The transaction is logged before you put your phone away. The habit sticks because the effort is nearly zero.
How the scanner works
Open the scanner
On Home tap Scan receipt, or tap the camera button when adding a transaction. The first time, Folko asks for camera access and for your OK to send the photo to Google's Gemini AI.
Aim at the receipt
Hold the receipt flat under reasonable lighting. Folko's viewfinder guides you to capture the full receipt. You don't need to be perfectly aligned — the OCR engine handles slight angles and folds.
OCR extracts the key fields
Folko sends the photo to Google's Gemini AI, which reads the receipt and fills in a description, the total amount, the date, a category, the line items, tax and tip, and the currency when the receipt clearly prints one. Nothing is saved until you review it, and you can correct any field first.
Review and confirm
A pre-filled transaction draft appears. You can correct any field before saving. Assign a category, split the expense with cashbook members if needed, and tap Save.
Where it saves the most time
Business travel
Scan hotel bills, taxis, and client dinners the moment they happen. Export a reimbursement report at the end of the trip.
Grocery runs
Scan the supermarket receipt at checkout. Folko logs the total and lets you split it across household members in seconds.
Dining out
Scan the restaurant bill before everyone chips in. Smart Settle handles who owes what without anyone pulling out a calculator.
Contractor expenses
Log materials, fuel, and tool purchases as they happen. PDF and Excel reports, on Plus and Max, give you a clean record to share with a client.
What the scanner can read
Folko reads receipts with Google's Gemini AI, so it isn't tied to one receipt format. It handles:
Many languages
Folko reads receipts in many languages and scripts, not only your app language. Results can vary with print quality and language, so you review every scan before saving.
56 currencies
The currency code, or a symbol that belongs to only one currency, is picked up from the receipt automatically. A bare $ isn't guessed, so the amount stays in your cashbook's currency until you change it. When the receipt is in a different currency, Folko converts it at the daily exchange rate when you save.
Thermal and laser prints
Both thermal paper receipts (the kind that fade over time) and laser-printed invoices are handled. Digital receipts captured via screenshot also work.
Frequently asked questions
What types of receipts can Folko scan?
Folko is built for printed receipts, such as those from grocery stores, restaurants, petrol stations and pharmacies. You can take a photo or pick one from your library, so a screenshot of a digital receipt works too. Folko reads the text on the receipt, whatever language it is printed in, but a blurry or crumpled receipt can come out wrong, so check the result before you save. Handwritten notes aren't what it's made for and may not read reliably.
Does receipt scanning work offline?
The photo is read by Google's Gemini AI through Folko's server, so a connection is needed at scan time. There is no offline scan queue — if you're offline the scan simply won't go through, and you can run it again once you're back online. Manual transaction entry always works offline.
Which tiers include receipt scanning?
Every tier includes receipt scanning. The free tier covers 3 scans a month. Plus ($2.99/month or $25/year) and Max ($4.99/month or $42/year) get unlimited scans.